TTVSDNM Episode 3: Escape
by doodlegirll
Summary: Conclusion to Captivity John makes a shocking discovery in the strangers' village...and plans his escape. COMPLETE.
1. Part 1: Shocking Discovery

_TTVSDNM Episode three: Escape_

"_Escape: Part 1"_

"Kocoum!" John said, looking up into the face of the very warrior he had seen get killed.

_But he couldn't have been killed! He's standing right in front of me!_ John thought. Kocoum's eyes widened at the sight of John.

"You?" He demanded of John.

"What do you mean by that?" Fetti demanded.

"Nothing. This is just the man that Powhatan was to kill the night I was injured!" Kocoum said.

"Well, Powhatan obviously didn't kill him if he's right here in front of you." Chua said.

Kocoum said something that John didn't understand and Fetti and Huya dragged him to his feet.

"You brought the wrong man!" Kocoum shouted at the warriors holding John up. "You were told to bring the man with bright red hair to the camp. He was the one who injured me."

"All of these white men look the same to me," Chua said, "What difference does it make which one we brought?"

Kocoum sighed. "Just take the captive away." He waved his hand towards one of the houses and walked away.

"What do you want with Thomas or me for that matter!?" John called after him, his voice as loud as he could make it.

Fetti raised his fist to punch John when Kocoum turned around. "I want payment for what this _Thomas_ did to me. An eye for an eye. Now, take him out of my sight and hearing."

John was dragged to the house and tied to the center support pole. _Very funny_, he thought bitterly, _once again tied to a pole. _

...oOo...

Pocahontas sat beside the riverbank again. John had been missing for a week now. No one knew where he had been taken, but Pocahontas could only hope he was alive wherever he was.

"Pocahontas?" Pocahontas turned to find Nakoma. "What are you thinking now?"

"I'm trying to find answers. What would strangers want with John if they don't even know him?"

"I don't know, Pocahontas. Did you recognize even one of the warriors you saw in your dream?" Pocahontas shook her head. She hadn't.

"No." She said sadly. "All I can say is that I hope he's alive."

...oOo...

John didn't know what Kocoum wanted with him, but he knew what he wanted with Thomas. Thomas had 'killed' him, and he wanted revenge for it.

_Because the village thinks he's dead, he can't go back there, and he knows it. So he wants revenge on Thomas for ruining his life. But surely, he can find a place to belong in the village of his brother. _John thought. _Like I found a place to belong in Virginia._

He could hear Fetti and Chua talking.

"I know we brought the wrong man, but why does Kocoum have to be so mad about it? Isn't that the one that was blamed for it?" Chua asked.

"You know Kocoum. He thinks that because his brother is chief he can do whatever he wants." Fetti answered back. "Troya wants to talk to the pale faced one." He and Chua entered the house and dragged John to his feet.

"What does Kocoum want with me?" John asked.

"You and your kind ruined his life, made him leave his home because all of his friends and family thought he was dead. He wants revenge on your kind, and he'll get it, one way or another." Fetti answered him. He and Chua pushed John from the house outside, where it had apparently begun to rain. The cold rain stung John's face, but he didn't say anything. They pushed him in through the opening of a hut and John found himself face to face with Kocoum and his brother Troya.

"So this is the man that my brought back." Troya said.

"It was the wrong man." Kocoum mumbled under his breath.

"What do you want from me?" John asked.

"I want revenge!" Kocoum said, hopping to his feet. "Your kind ruined my life! Because I was injured and they thought I was dead when I wasn't, I was forced to come here! And now I can never go back!" Kocoum said it with such a bitter tone that John took a step back.

"And in order to keep my brother's secret, you can never go back, either." Troya added. "Kocoum, I want you to show him some work to do. Have him do something, whether it be building huts or something. I don't care." Troya said. Kocoum nodded and he pushed John from the hut.

"You'd better get used to this place. You won't be leaving." He said bitterly.

"Look, I'm sorry that you had to leave Powhatan's village, but that wasn't my fault!" John said.

"Look, savage…" Kocoum started. John cut him off.

"My name is John." He said. "But you might know me as the person you tried to kill that night in the glade, the person you were angry at for kissing Pocahontas."

Anger flared in Kocoum's eyes. "Don't you dare speak of her! I've moved on now, and I don't need to be reminded of her!"

John didn't say anything. He just let himself be pushed along by Kocoum towards the woods. _Pick my battle_, was all John thought, deciding to give Kocoum back the pleasure at a later date.

They stood on the very edge of the forest and with a start, John realized they were well out of vision and hearing from the village. Kocoum took a rope and tethered John to a large rock. He then took a stone-headed axe in his large hands. John gulped. He didn't know what that axe was for, but he could only hope it was for chopping wood, and not _him_.

"Let's see you get out of that. Now, here's what you're going to do. Because I can't think of anything else for you to do, you're going to chop wood. Got it?"

"Uncle!" a young boy called as he ran towards John and Kocoum. Kocoum turned. He immediately dropped the axe.

"What is it, Niher?" Kocoum asked.

"My Father wants to know what the prisoner is going to do." Niher said.

"Chop wood. I simply tied him to the rock so that he couldn't get away." Kocoum answered.

"Alright." Niher said and ran off.

"You know, if you want me to chop wood, you have to untie me." John said finally.

"I know that!" Kocoum snapped. John shut his mouth. He knew better than to say anything else.

**Well, this is going well...but definantly deja vu for John! Please review.**

**-Robin**


	2. Part 2: A Deal is Made

"_Escape: Part 2"_

Pocahontas awoke to quite a ruckus. She rubbed her eyes as she stepped outside. Her eyes widened when she saw her father with a rally of warriors.

"Father!" She called. Powhatan looked at her.

"Pocahontas!"

"What's going on?"

"We're sending a search party out for John." Powhatan answered.

"Why should we?" A voice asked. Pocahontas looked at the person that had said it. It was Kocoum's sister, Emik. "Why should we go searching for that…that…man?" Emik asked.

"Because he was captured and taken away!" Pocahontas said.

"I hope he never comes back. Serves him right. I hope they take him as far away as possible, and he pays the same price as my brother." Emik said. She said it with bitter sadness.

"No!" Pocahontas said, tears running down her face. "John doesn't deserve that!"

"In my mind he does." Emik said. "Say what you want; he deserves it. He deserves it more than my brother did." She began to walk away. "He's never coming back. You might as well get used to the fact."

...oOo...

John sighed as he leaned back against the pole he was tied to.

_Some way to sleep._ He thought. Kocoum had insisted to Troya that John be tied each night if they didn't want him escaping. John couldn't help but wonder if Kocoum had other reasons, too.

John knew that Kocoum wasn't exactly his best friend. After all, Kocoum had asked Powhatan if he could marry Pocahontas, thought Pocahontas would hear nothing of it, especially after John and the others had shown up.

The thought of Pocahontas again made John's stomach pang. Would he ever see her again? His only hope was escape…and he knew he had to escape soon.

...oOo...

Pocahontas didn't sleep that night, much like John himself. She couldn't get what Emik had said from her head. Would John ever come back?

Pocahontas knew in her heart that he would. But her mind did not agree with her.

_What if Emik is right? What if John doesn't come back? And what will happen to him? Will he really suffer the same price as Kocoum did?_

Pocahontas bit her lip. She didn't know what to do, and the thought of never knowing where he was or what happened to him made her feel sick.

"Please," She whispered to the wind. "Let him be alright."

...oOo...

Three days later, John was shoved in front of Troya by a few of the warriors.

His plan had failed. He had been caught escaping and brought back.

"I told you we should keep him tied!" Kocoum told his brother. Troya had decided to give John a chance, and John had taken that chance to escape. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked.

"I gave you a chance. And I told you that you can never go back. I can't risk you telling my brother's secret. You can't leave, and I obviously cannot trust you to remain untied at night." Troya said, shaking his head.

"I say we get rid of him," Kocoum roared, "He's been nothing but a problem to us! What is the use in keeping him?"

"The use is the killing of a man," Troya said sternly, "I will not kill a man, no matter what crime he has committed. It is wrong. That would make us no better than the criminal himself."

_I didn't do anything! _John longed to shout out, to tell his captors he had done nothing wrong. _Unless you count love as a crime, but many people around me do nowadays. _

"Besides, Kocoum," Troya went on. "What has this man done to you?" Kocoum glared back at John, then at his brother.

"Nothing." He muttered. "He only stole Pocahontas from me."

"That is no reason to kill him, Kocoum." Troya said.

"Then what more do you need?" Kocoum asked.

"Nothing more. Now, just take him back out to give him some work to do. And keep a close eye on him." Troya said.

Kocoum shoved John **from** the hut after hauling him to his feet.

"You're lucky, you know that? If it had been up to me, you wouldn't be standing here right now." He said.

"If you were me, and if you could, you'd try to go back, too!" John spat the words at him, knowing it was true.

Kocoum glared at John. "You know nothing of me, pale skin. We are nothing alike!" There was deep venom in his voice.

"Say what you want," John replied lightly, feeling the tension in the air, "But we're not so different. We both want the same thing, to go back home."

Kocoum was silent; his shoulders slumped slightly, giving away that he realized John was right. He missed his village, no matter how much he loved his brother. There was just something about your own home.

"I'll make you a deal, _John_," Kocoum said very quietly, making sure no one in earshot could hear his words. "I'll help you escape if you help me, too."

**What could Kocoum want? I wonder... Anyway, today was "The Day of Updates" seeing as two other stories were updated, so I'm throwing this in. School's been rough, and it looks like I might have to get an after school job soon so I can afford a trip to Spain next summer...**

**Please review!**

**-Robin**


	3. Part 3: The Hunt is On!

"_Escape: Part 3"_

John just stared back at Kocoum. What was he saying? He knew he couldn't go back to the village!

"First of all, what is it?" John asked.

"I need your help. I want you to tell my family I'm alright, but tell _no one else_. Just my family. Not Pocahontas, not Powhatan, no one, understand?" Kocoum said. John nodded.

"Good." Kocoum said. "I'll tell you when it's time for you to escape."

John nodded again. He had no other choice. It was either help Kocoum by telling Kocoum's family that he was alright, or escape and be caught again and again. But there was something about telling Kocoum's family Kocoum's secret that made John have a sinking feeling in his gut. John knew they blamed him for Kocoum's so called "death", and they might not believe him. Kocoum's sister Emik had already set it to her mind that she was not going to listen or accept John, while everyone else in the village had.

...oOo...

Pocahontas watched her father and his warriors return to the village in silence.

"Did you find him?" She asked, though she knew they hadn't. Powhatan shook his head.

"No." He said. "But we did find this." He handed her a piece of John's shirt. It was torn and ragged, as if it had been separated from the cloth a week before.

"Where did you find this?" Pocahontas asked her father urgently.

"I found it out about a mile from one of the main deer trails," he said slowly, not yet decided as to what his daughter would do with the information. Hope gleamed in her eyes, sending up a little red flag in his mind. Powhatan sighed. "If you're going to go after his trail, at least take Nakoma and one of our warriors with you."

Pocahontas stood shocked for a second before his words sunk in. She flung her arms around Powhatan's neck and gave him as tight a hug as she could. Tears pricked her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered before running off to find her best friend. The hunt was on!

...oOo...

_Pocahontas glanced around as she hid behind a strange hut, pressing her back against it. She had no idea in the world where she was. It was another Indian village, much like her own, but she knew it was not her village. It was night, and no one was out. _

_The wind pushed at her, as if trying to get her to go the way it was blowing. She let the wind blow her to wherever it led. _

_The wind took her to a small hut in the middle of the village. Though no one was around, Pocahontas glanced around, praying no one saw her. The wind still pushed at her back, as if telling her to enter. _

_Finally, because she knew the wind would not take her to this particular hut in a strange village for no reason, Pocahontas entered. _

_She almost fainted from relief at what she saw. _

_It was John. He was alive._

_Pocahontas then knew she was dreaming. She knew there was no other way for her to be here with John, seeing as she had not been captured along with him._

_He was tied to the center support pole, and Pocahontas knew it was so he couldn't escape. _

_Cautiously, she approached him. She knew she couldn't awaken him, because she was dreaming, and she wondered if she could for a moment._

_Suddenly, she heard voices and footsteps. They sounded like they were coming right for the hut. Pocahontas listened close. They stopped and passed the hut. She let out a sigh of relief, but she knew they could come back at any time. She dropped to her knees beside John for a moment, and leaned in close to his ear. _

"_Hang on, John. I'm coming. I don't know where you are, or how I'll find you, but I promise you this: I will find you. Be strong and stay safe. Please." She whispered and gently kissed his forehead. Then she jumped to her feet and ran from the hut, making sure she was not being spotted or followed. When she was sure she wasn't, she took off running for the woods. _

...oOo...

_Hang on, John. I'm coming. I don't know where you are, or how I'll find you, but I promise you this: I will find you. Be strong and stay safe. Please._

John looked up. He could have sworn he heard Pocahontas. He must have been dreaming. He wished he hadn't been. He knew he had to escape soon, before he went completely crazy.

...oOo...

Pocahontas, Nakoma, and the warrior called Werstyu set out. Pocahontas held tight in her hand the compass, it wrapped in the cloth of John's shirt. She didn't know how she was going to find him, but she knew she would.

Meeko, Percy, and Flit stayed close at her heels, knowing she could use the company. Pocahontas kept her head straight on the path ahead of her. She knew she could be gone a while, and never find John at all, but she would never be able to live with herself if she didn't at least try.

**I know it's short, but hey, that's all for this part. Thanks, again, Sophie! I hope my Acer gets fixed soon...**

**By the way, Werstyu is pronounced (WORSE-TY-YOU) I made it up. I went blank for a minute...**

**Review, please! Please! Please! I can't say please enough!**

**-Robi**


	4. Part 4: Plans Don't Always Go Right

_"Escape: Part 4" _

It was hot outside when John set to work chopping wood under the watchful eye of Kocoum. He could roam the village as he pleased, but if what he was doing required leaving the village, such as gathering wood, he had to be escorted out. Somehow, it didn't seem right. He wasn't going anywhere right now. He wasn't going anywhere until Kocoum told him it was the right time to escape.

He sighed with the heavy thump of the axe driving into the wood. Sweat dripped into his face, making his vision blurred.

Kocoum looked up and down the path they were on. No one was in sight of them. He leaned close to John and whispered in his ear. "The time to leave is drawing closer. We just have to wait a few more days. I believe that my brother suspects something of our plan, but cannot act."

"Why can't he act?" John asked.

"My brother knows about you and Pocahontas. He knows you want to get back to your own people as well." Kocoum said.

"I didn't know you had asked for Pocahontas's hand until after you were…killed, or whatever you want to say." John said. He had heard the bitterness in Kocoum's voice when he had spoken Pocahontas's name.

Kocoum said nothing.

"You love someone else now, don't you?" John asked, putting the axe down.

"How do you know that?" Kocoum snapped.

"I'm not blind, Kocoum. I know you love someone else now, someone here in this village." John said.

Kocoum was silent again. "Her name is Jukame." He said.

"Jukame?" John asked. Kocoum nodded.

"Yes."

"I see." John said. He went back to chopping wood. If Troya actually found out that he was going to escape, would he let him?

...oOo...

Pocahontas sighed as she, Nakoma, and Werstyu sat down to rest. Pocahontas had no idea where she was going, but she didn't care. If she found John, that was all that mattered.

She and the others had been walking for almost a week now. They had found nothing, or heard anything, that could possibly help her in her search.

"Pocahontas, we need to find shelter." Nakoma said. "It looks like it's about to storm."

Pocahontas looked at the sky. Nakoma was right. The sky was growing dark.

"Pocahontas," Werstyu said. "We're near the Troya village. I'm sure we can seek refuge there for the night."

"I guess so." Pocahontas agreed. She reluctantly followed her best friend and her father's warrior towards the direction of the Troya village.

...oOo...

John, meanwhile, was yet again getting into trouble for trying to escape. He had tried to escape without the help of Kocoum, which he found wasn't possible. It had been worth a try, but, well, it just didn't work. Troya, who refused to punish John beyond tying him in the hut.

John sighed as he looked up at the sky. It was growing dark with storm clouds. He could hear the thunder in the distance.

He moved his wrists, trying to loosen the knot of the rope. Troya had said that he would have to be tied for three days, and be guarded at night. John knew he didn't have a choice.

He sighed. He knew that he would probably never see Pocahontas again. He could feel tears forming deep inside, but he refused to shed them.

The storm was on them now. John looked up when lightning split across the sky and the rain began to soak him head to toe. He knew he should go back in the hut, but something inside him told him not to. He sighed and turned to walk back in the hut when he heard someone call his name.

...oOo...

Pocahontas scanned the crowd of people in front of her. She knew Troya – he was Kocoum's older brother. She searched the crowd for Troya. If she could find Troya, she could talk to him and see if he had heard anything of John.

Everyone was retreating into his or her homes. Before too long, everyone was out of site. Pocahontas still scanned the village as the walked into it.

A sudden movement caught her eye. Someone turned around and was about to walk into a hut. She turned towards the movement and stopped dead in her tracks.

It was a man with yellow hair. His hands were tied behind him, but he was alone. Pocahontas's heart jumped.

"_John!_" She called.

...oOo...

John stopped dead in his tracks. He turned slowly to see his love standing behind him.

"Pocahontas?" He asked, hoping he wasn't dreaming. Pocahontas instantly ran forward. She pulled him into a tight hug, tears of joy and worry spilling from her eyes. John tried to lift his hand to stroke her hair, but found it inconveniently tied.

"John," she sobbed, "I've been searching for you! Why are you here? What's going on? Did they find you?"

"You could say that," John said in an almost bitter voice. This made Pocahontas look up at him, concern gleaming in her eyes. "Look, Pocahontas, there's something I need to tell you about-"

Troya came around the corner, a scowl on his face. "What is going on here!?" When he spotted Pocahontas, his face instantly softened.

"Pocahontas, what are you doing here?" He asked. Nakoma and Werstyu had joined her by then. "Nakoma! Werstyu!" Troya went on.

"I came here looking for him." Pocahontas said, gesturing to John. "He's been missing for over two weeks now and we were getting worried."

"I'm sorry. He can't leave. And you must leave immediately." Troya said, shaking his head. "You can stay here tonight, but you must leave first thing in the morning. And I'm afraid you'll have to leave him here." Troya said. Pocahontas was near not only tears, but bursting out in anger as well. She had come all this way looking for the man she loved, and now that she'd found him, she wasn't leaving without him.

"But I've been worried sick about him for two weeks, Troya!" She protested. Why couldn't John leave? What was Troya not telling her?

"Troya, she's barely slept since he went missing." Nakoma said, seeing the concern and worry in her friend's eyes.

"I am sorry," Troya said in a stern voice, "There is nothing you can do about it. It is out of all of our hands."

"What is out of our hands!? Why can't he just come with me!? It's not as if John did anything wrong," Pocahontas protested, bringing on the stares of others in the village.

"There is nothing else to discuss. You will leave in the morning or face the punishments. As for the savage, he is my prisoner and cannot leave!" Troya stormed off in a huff.

"Well," Pocahontas whispered hotly to Nakoma and Werstyu, "All I can say is that Troya will not stop me from getting John back. Nothing can stop me from getting John back."

"Pocahontas, be careful." Nakoma said. "One wrong move and Troya can easily have John executed!"

"Where is he?" Pocahontas asked, looking around for John. John was nowhere in sight.

"I think Troya's warriors took him into the hut." Werstyu said. Pocahontas turned around and walked into the hut, where she found John.

"John?" She asked. John looked over his shoulder.

His face instantly lit up, making Pocahontas's stomach sink into her liver. What if she really couldn't take him back?

John tried to move but failed with the rope tying him to the support post.

"Don't." Pocahontas said. She went over to him and sat down beside him. As soon as she did, she pulled John into a tight hug once more.

"I didn't know what had happened to you." She whispered, close to tears. John didn't say anything, just kissed the top of her head and bit his lip. He, too, could feel tears coming. John had never cried before, and he didn't know if now would be his first time or not.

"I thought I'd never see you again." John muttered quietly. Pocahontas only hugged him tighter. She glanced up to see a tear cascading down John's face. She had never seen John cry before.

"I knew I'd find you." Pocahontas said. She felt something warm hit the top of her head. She knew it was John's tears without even having to look up. She had never once thought of John as weak, nor had she ever seen him cry.

"There's something you have to know." John said, looking at her. "It's the reason I can't leave."

"What is it?" Pocahontas asked, concern in her voice.

"Pocahontas, Kocoum is alive. He wasn't killed the night I was captured." John said. Pocahontas stared at him in confusion. Kocoum alive? How was it possible?

"And that," A voice said from the entry way to the hut, "Is why he can't leave."

Pocahontas watched as Troya and Chua into the hut. Troya had genuine anger in his eyes; something Pocahontas had never seen.

"Troya, please." She said.

Troya wasn't listening. Troya approached the two. He motioned for Chua to cut John free. Chua roughly pulled John from the ground. Pocahontas remembered Nakoma's warning. _One wrong move, and Troya could have John executed_.

_No._ Pocahontas thought. _Troya isn't like that, nor will I let him do such a thing!_

"Let him go, Troya! He's done nothing wrong!"

Troya spun around. "He's betrayed my trust more than once! I have put up with it until now. I'm sorry, Pocahontas, but I can't allow him to ever leave this village again."

John caught Pocahontas's eye.

"Well, what do you plan to do with him?" Pocahontas demanded. She hoped Nakoma wasn't right and Troya's solution and final attempt to keep his brother's secret wasn't what Pocahontas feared the worst for John – death.

"Pocahontas, don't…" John started to say. Pocahontas gave him a quick sideward glance, then stared at Troya. Troya pondered with his answer for a minute.

"He'll have to be tied to a post at all times. In the middle of the village. My warriors Chua, Huya, and Fetti will watch him and make sure he doesn't escape." He finally answered.

"Troya, please, John…" Pocahontas started. Troya cut her off.

"How do you even know this man anyway?"

Pocahontas looked at John. John sighed and shrugged.

"She loves him." A voice came from the doorway. Pocahontas turned to find the warrior she had seen (or thought she had seen) get killed the night before John was to be executed – Kocoum.

"Kocoum!" She said, surprised. It wasn't that she had doubted John when he had said that Kocoum was alive, it was just that it was confusing…and unbelievable.

Kocoum nodded and walked into the hut.

"She loves him, brother. The only reason he kept trying to escape was so he could go back to her." Kocoum explained. Troya looked at John.

"Is this true?" He asked. John nodded.

"If I had nothing to go back to, why would I have tried to escape all those times?" He asked.

"I suppose you wouldn't have." Troya said.

"I was going to help him escape as long as he did something for me as well." Kocoum went on. "I wanted him to tell our family that I'm alive. They deserve to know, and you know that they can keep a secret."

"You were helping him?" Pocahontas asked. The last time she had seen Kocoum and John in the same place at the same time, one had been trying to kill the other. Kocoum and John both nodded.

"Yes." Kocoum answered.

"Why?" Pocahontas asked, though she wasn't complaining.

"Because I know he loves you. And I know you love him." Kocoum answered.

Pocahontas could barely believe it. Kocoum was helping his mortal enemy escape back to the person he had once been engaged to? It didn't seem like Kocoum.

"Kocoum, do you really think that this man can keep a secret from an entire village when he has spoken the secret to someone already?" Troya asked. Kocoum nodded, glancing at Pocahontas.

"Yes." He answered.

"Then I guess I have no choice but to free you." Troya said, turning to John. Chua shrugged and let go of John's arms, which he had been holding behind him.

"You can leave tomorrow with Pocahontas, Nakoma, and Werstyu." Troya said. "As long as you keep your promise and tell no one that my brother is here other than our family."

John nodded, but said nothing. Pocahontas wasted no time hugging him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

"You can leave." She sobbed.

"It's alright." John assured her. "It's alright."

Pocahontas just smiled and gently kissed him.

Kocoum watched Pocahontas kiss John, and he knew he had done the right thing.

"Come on, Pocahontas." Nakoma said, poking her head in the hut. "Troya and Kocoum have invited us to dinner

"Coming." Pocahontas said. She turned to John. Taking his hand, the two walked outside just as the clouds parted and rays of sunshine beamed down.

**Yes! It's finally done!**

**I know I haven't updated lately, but it's because I'm writing a Meet the Robinsons fic for my _other_ best friend Kathy's brithday, which was last week. If you've seen the movie, read my story if you want to! But if you haven't, don't. MAJOR spoilers!**

**Anyway, the next episode will be called _Amnesia._ Not my oneshot. This will also be a two parter!**

**Thanks to all of those who reviewed! I'll be back shortly!**

**-Robin**


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